Abrading tool



April 3, 19M E. R'oBBlNs ABRADING TOOL Filed Aug. 27,1949

jNVENToR. Ro BBI Ns ELMER ATTORNEY' Patented Apr. 3, 19.151

L UNI S PTEN "OFF'CE r' y 12,547,837

lf'ABRADING TOUL Y fElmerLRhbns, Portland- 0mg Application-August(27, 1949,` "SerialA No."11=2",718

'This 1 inventonrrelates 'to "an abrading litool df '6 claims. (c1. i1-187) the .typein Whichza stripviofabrasive:.material, y

such: asfsandp'aper issemployed. .More'specically,` this linvention relates to "fan abrading stool employing'fan -'endless belt of-vabrasive -such fas sandpap'ereand the likel N'@ne object of the finvjention is 4to provide an improved'dilder ffor an fendless l vbelt of 'fabrasive material 1in fwhich 1 the vexposed portion. or portions of the endless belt will be conveniently positionedfor use and in which used portions of th'e'vbeltfcaneasily Vbereplaced` byz: unused portions so that full: use rofthe entireezalorasivezsurface lof .l

abrasiveimaterial, as it is :usedpw'ill be supported by fla jflexible .ll-blade,` '.th'ereby rendering the'tool more convenient, :more .practical :and .1 more vfedicient to use. Y

' An 'additionalfobject-of this'zinventionis "to provide flan fim'proved fabrading tool ,of Pthe "type above l indicated .which` die :simple and `inexpensiveitomanufacture, feasy :to assemble mand handy tol use `and hold.

"iThel manner in fwhi'ch' theserobject'slfand "other advantages -`V'are V`-`attained by "thel'fabradin'g stool comprising the present inventionllw'illfibe readily understood from the Sfollowing'brief description With'referenee".toithe accompanying draw-ings.' 35

`In`thedrawingsz g I `Fig. is -aflsi'de elevation-idf *my fabrading tool showing jthe same 4entirely assembled and,` ready for use; with ia' portion Aof "the vfsidebroleerr"away Vand shown in-"'section-forg the *sake of fclarityf f Figi-2 isan exploded viewfin -persnetiveshowinghtheiindiviclualmembers separated :from "each other-"but arranged moreforf less .in v"theirrelative positions; y

"Figi 3` is aA perspective'view f thei handle'bloek bylitself, the View being takenf fireman-:direction ,opposites to 'thatjj in` Eigsz fand .'Figgej: is aperspective yvfievvjcif "the tool completelyias'sembledfand 'illustrating thetool in'use.

In the different figures of 'the dra-Wings* like references designate thee-same parts.

r-The V body Vof the Vtoolincludes'a handle block Hl 'Which'is preferalzlyV made o'f-Wood butj which can Yalso be Vmade of metal, jplastic "or "any' other suitable *material The'fblock fl'uis 'formed and shaped :as :shown in Figs. y12 and f3, the width being uniform Fthroughout 'the block, 'but `the thickness iofzjthes-blockpreferably increasing'from the insidefend tothe outside Aend asshown. The

. thicker-fend'orouter'end i13of lthe block issubstantially 'semi=cylin"drical, 'the Areason for'which Willllater berapparent. Achannel H, the width of zuwhichcorrespondsto the'vvidth of the endless belt of :sandpaper 4or 'other abrasive to .be femf played-inthe tool, extends along the top and botto'mfacesof the block It and around thesemicylindrical outerfend 'i3 4asshown, '.thechannel t beingfborjdered by a continuous-ridgeor flange IiZennveaGhfside. ,A transverse slot "Wzthrough the blockzextends into 'the :block lfrom the inner ortlflinner end"foreasubstantial distancathisslot Mifollowingwthevoenterline `in each side'oi Y.the

block. An; enlarged e central v cylindrical 4recess i5 (Figs. .-3 and l) :also vfollows `the "slot inwardly.

rA:flexible,irnetal,blade d6, preferably made Vof steel, vrectangular'in shape, having 'a Width substantiallyfequal to-'the width of the channel Il! on Ythe block Hlfan'd :having a thickness approxi'- mate'ly equalzto the -slot'opening I4; is adaptedto havexone endinserted in'the'slot le Vsand Yto be longitudinally slidable therein. The inserted` end of thelexiblefblade 116 has a cute-out portion lor rectangular #slot rIf'l in orderto yaccommodate a coil `suor-ing 1'81(Figs. 1 and '2). The length of the-coil spring g I'Snormally exceeds the length of the slot4 l1 sothat-,the coil spring will normally extend -beyondth'einnerend of the iiexible blade Il Whenthe-vblade is in place'iin the block lll. The outsi'de :di'a'meterfofthe spring i8 :is yslightly lesszt'han the diameter yof the central-recess l5 inthe'blockxl' so that 'the spring "i8, as Wellas theinnervend :of itheblade H, will be longitudinallyslidable in 'theblock it. When the blade t5; has :its' end inserted inthe slot .Ill 'of the blockv lf with :the spring vi3 Linjplace, the'spring` I8 will prevent lany isidevvise movement of 'the inserted en'dof the-.blade-Withrespect to the block. `How` ever; the bladef `I 6l Vcan'then be pushedstill further F9 is --madeapproiiimately equal to lthe AWidth of the channel 'll `onthe block 1?),and the `'length Y of theibelt T9 'is such'that when the belt is made to extend :around the blockl in'th'e channel -'Similar `r`endless 'belts )of sandpaper are nolv"commonlyl used in various `machines employed forsandpapering. The width 'of the belt the blade I6, when the blade I6 and its spring I8 are in position within the block I0, by pushing the blade I6 a slight distance further into the block I6 against the force of the spring I8. When this is done and the belt is so mounted the belt I9 will be held stretched over the block III and over the outer tip of the blade I6 substantially as illustrated in Fig. 1.

The nal member of my abrading tool to be set in place comprises a cover handle 20 which may be made of aluminum, thin steel, or any other suitable material having somewhat similar resiliency. The cover handle 2|] is shaped as illustrated in Figs. 1, 3 and 4. It conforms in general to the shape of the block I and is made of the proper size to flt over the block I0. The block-covering portion of the handle cover has a continuous flange 2| on each side extending part way over the side faces of the block I0 so as to prevent the handle cover from slipping sideways off of the block I0. These side flanges 2l terminate near the inner ends of the block I0 when the handle cover is in place on the block. One end of the handle cover terminates in a short lip 24 which is bent slightly inwardly or towards the line of the blade I6. The other end of the handle cover is extended for a considerable distance so as to form a tongue 22 extending along over a portion of the belt I9 beyond the inner end of the block I0. This tongue portion 22 of the handle cover 2l] then terminates in an outwardly curved lip 23.

When my abrading tool is to be set up, the flexible blade I6 with the spring I8 extending into the slot I1 is inserted in the block I D, as previously described. The endless belt I9 is then placed over the block and over the outer end of the flexible blade I6 which is pushed a slight distance into the block against the force of the spring I8 to enable the belt to be slipped over the outer end of the blade. Finally the handle cover 20 is slid over the block from the outer or enlarged end. In order to do this it is necessary for the handle cover to be opened wider, but the spring-like nature of the thin metal or other material from which the handle cover is made enables this to be done with little effort. When the handle cover is in place, as shown in Figs. l and 4, the lip 24 and the resiliency of the handle cover prevent the handle cover from sliding backwardly off of the block III.

While any of the exposed surface of the abrasive belt I9 in my abrading tool can be used, the portion located on the under side of the blade I6 will be most frequently used, and in most cases it will be found convenient and preferable to use the tool in the position illustrated in Fig. 4. This will be the case particularly when a portion of an extended surface is to be subjected to the abrasive action. When mytool is so used the lfact that the blade I6 is flexible is an important feature. 'Ihe tongue 22 also has an important function, for, when the tool is so used the tongue not only enables increased pressure to be applied on and through the blade I6, but also keeps the abrasive belt held down against the top face of the blade, since otherwise when the blade is bent in the manner illustrated -inv' Fig. 4, the upper section of the belt would seek a shorter straight line position between the-outer tip of the blade I6 and the block I0, shortening the distance to be spanned and thus making the 'belt so loose on the blade that it would have a tendency to slip off the end of the blade. If addedpressure on the work is desired the forefinger of the operators hand can also be placed on the tongue 22, which results in a very rm as well as comfortable hand hold.

When a portion of the exposed abrasive su'rface of the endless belt I9 has been used up the belt can easily be moved so as to bring an unused portion into the same desired position. This moving or shifting of the endless belt on the tool can be done if desired without removing the handle cover, but it is done more easily if the handle cover is removed. By holding the tool on end and resting the outer end on the block or handle cover against a supporting surface and then pinching the blade I6 between the fingers and pressing it downwardly and further into the block I0 against the force of the spring I8, the resulting slack in the endless belt will enable it to be shifted on the toolrwith an easy pull.

Entire removal of the belt and replacement of the belt is done easily and quickly after the handle cover is slipped oi. Due to the shape, construction, and arrangement of the members of my improved tool, no adjusting screws or clamps are required, and consequently my tool is simpler to set up and more inexpensive toA manufacture than certain other types of sandpaper holders now found on the market, and in addition will be found especially convenient to use.

I claim:

1. In an abrading tool of the character de.l

scribed, a handle block, a flexible blade having one end movably and removably mounted in the inner end of said block, means for urging said mounted end of said blade outwardly in said block, an endless abrasive belt extending around said block and around the outer end of said blade,

and a handle cover on said block extending over' said belt on said block.

2. In van abrading tool of the character described, a handle block, said block having a rounded outer end, a flexible blade having one end movably and removably mounted in the inner end of said block, a spring element in said` block engaging said blade to urge said blade outwardly when said blade is pushed far enoughintol 3. In an abrading tool of the character'defAr scribed, a handle block, said block having av rounded outer end, said block having a channel extending around over the top, bottom and outer end of said block, a flexible blade having onen end movably and removably mounted in the in-y ner end of said block, the width of said blade being approximately the same as the width of said channel on said block, an endless abrasive bel-t extending around said blockv in said channel and around the outer end of said blade, the width ofsaid belt being approximately equal to the width of said channel, and a U-shaped handle cover on said block extending over said belt on said; block, said-handle cover having side flanges extending over theside faces of said block.

4'. In an abrading tool of the character de-4 scribed, a handle block, said block having a semi-vA cylindrical outer end, said block being thicker at its outer than at its inner end, said block having a channel extending along two faces of said block and around said cylindrical outer end.

ably mounted in the inner endk of said block, a.

spring element in said block engaging said blade to urge said blade outwardlylwhen said blade is y the outer end of said blade, the width of said belt being approximately equal to the width of said channel, and a spring-like handle cover on saidr block extending over said belt onsaid block,one I of the inner ends of said handle cover terminating in an inwardly sloping lip, the other inner end of Said handle cover terminating in a tongue portion extending along said belt beyond the inner end of said block. 5. An abrading tool of the character described including a handle block, said block having a rounded outer end, said block having a channel extending around said block, a flexible blade havingone end movably and removably mounted in said block, the width of said blade being approximately the same as the width of said channel on said block, said block having a transverse slot extending intothe inner end of said block, said end of said blade inserted in said slot, an endless abrasive belt extending around said block in said channel and around the outer end of said blade, and a U-shaped handlevcover on said block extending over said belt onsaid block, said handle cover having a tongue portion extending along said belt beyond the inner end of said block and terminating in an outwardly curved lip.

6. An abrading tool comprising a handle block,

said block having a rounded outer end, said block being thicker at its outer than at its inner end, said block having a channel extending around said block, a flexible blade having one end movably and removably mounted in the inner end.

of said block, `a spring element in said block engaging said blade to urge said ,blade outwardly when said blade is pushed far enough into said block toj compress said spring, said block formed withv a transverse slot extending into rthe inner end of said blockand with an enlarged recess extending along the center line of said s1ot,rsaid end of said blade inserted in said slot and Vsaid spring inserted in said recess, an endless abrasive belt extending around said block in said channel and around the outer end of said blade, the width of said belt being approximately equal to the width of said channel, and a spring-like handle cover on said block extending over said belt on said block, one ofthe inner ends of said handle cover terminating in an inwardly sloping lip, the other. inner end of said handle cover terminating in a tongue portion extending along said belt beyond the inner end of said block.

ELMER ROBBINS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNTED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 997,577 Nelk July 11, 1911 2,464,668 Booth Mar. 15, 1949 

